Vehicle-wheel rim



G.I:.BLAKB; VEHICLE WHEEL RIM.

(No Model.)l

Nav-559,118. v Patented'Apr. 28,1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BLAKE, OF GREENCASTLE, INDIANA.

VEHICLE-WHEEL RIM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,118, dated April 28, 1896. Appiimiou ned November, 1895. sain No. 567,776. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greencastle, in the county of Putnam and State of parts, Figure l is a side elevation of a bicycle-wheel provided with a rim embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of a fragment of such a rim on an enlarged scale Fig. 3, a top or plan view of the same; Fig. 4, a transverse sectional View on the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an elevation of parts or segments before the same are eut or turned into their final form, and Fig. G a top or plan View of a fragment of a :rim in which keys or dowels are used to connect the ends of the segments instead of dovetails.

The Wheel illustrated, except as to the construction of the rim, is or maybe of any ordinary and well-known fo rm., and will not, therefore, be further described herein, except incidentally in describing the construction of the rim. Said rim is composed of as many sections as may be desired, (eight are shown on a side, or sixteen altogether,) all of said sections or segments being cut out of straightgrained Wood without being bent at all, and the grain in each of said sections running straight through from end to -end thereof. The ends of these segments or sections are united in any desired-manner, preferably by means of dovetailed formation of the ends, as shown in all the figures except Fig. 6; but, as shown in said Fig. 6, they may be united by keys or splices a or in any other desired manner. The rim halves when assembled by means of uniting the ends by the dovetails or otherwise are united to each other by means of interlocking tongues and grooves upon their adjacent faces, as shown most plainly in Fig. 4. Such an assemblage of parts in a Wheel-rim avoids the bending incident to rims of this character of the ordinary construction and leaves the Wood in its natural condition with the direction of grain and the strength entirely undisturbed, while at the vsame time by the peculiar assemblage of parts, as shown in the drawings, the grains of the various portions of wood cross each other, thus securing them against splitting. As I have determined by the practical operation thereof, such rims are strong, substantial, and durable. The portions of the original sections or segments which remain after the rim is turned up and finished are indicated by the curved dotted lines in Fig. 5. When the portions above and below these curved lines are cut away, it leaves the structure substantiallyas shown in Fig. 2. The tongues and grooves in the adjacent faces of the tWo halves are formed by turning after the segments or sections of each half are assembled together.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A wooden rim or felly for vehicle-Wheels composed of two halves, each half formed of comparatively short sections laid together end to end, and provided with dovetailed formation at their ends, whereby they are united, and said sections being provided on their .adjacent faces with interlocking tongues and grooves, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 30th day of October, A. D. 1895.

eEoEeE E. BLAKE.

Witnesses CHESTER- BRADEoEn, y JAMES A. WALSH. 

